Blackhawks lose as Ducks get late goal

Published: Saturday, March 30, 2013 5:30 a.m. CDT

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CHICAGO – Sheldon Souray scored with 2:08 left in regulation to break a tie, Jonas Hiller made 25 saves and the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Chicago Blackhawks, 2-1, on Friday to end a four-game losing streak.

Souray’s drive through a screen from the left point hit the stick of Hawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson and deflected past Ray Emery, who suffered his first loss of the season.

Anaheim’s Corey Perry scored at 1:15 of the second period in the meeting of the top two teams in the Western Conference, played before a season-high of 22,105 at the United Center.

With the win, Anaheim (23-7-4) improved to 50 points, three behind the conference-leading Hawks (25-5-3).

The Hawks’ Patrick Kane scored a power-play goal at 2:26 of the third period to extend his point streak to eight games. He has six goals and nine assists during the span.

Anaheim, which had been outscored 15-6 during its slide, tightened up defensively and checked the Hawks closely through much of the game.

Emery, 12-1-0 this season, made 22 saves.

The Ducks hadn’t won since March 20, when they rallied late in the third period to the beat Hawks, 4-2. Anaheim swept its season series from the Hawks, winning all three games.

The Hawks played again with two of their top forwards, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp, who are out with upper-body injuries.

Hossa missed his fourth game and Sharp sat out his ninth.

Both Emery and Hiller made a handful of tough saves in an evenly played, scoreless first period in which both teams had nine shots.

After keeping Chicago off the board in the first on Friday, the Ducks jumped in front 1-0 on Perry’s goal 1:15 into the second.

After skating down the right wing, Perry fired from the outside of the right circle and fooled Emery with a shot that slipped between his pads.

Once they got the lead, the Ducks tightened their defensive coverage and the Blackhawks’ top players struggled to find space in the second period.

Chicago’s Brandon Saad was set up for a prime attempt by Kane about seven minutes into the second, but his shot was blocked by Ryan Getzlaf.

Chicago’s Nick Leddy hit the left post with a drive from the left point midway through the second.

Anaheim’s Bobby Ryan hit the post with a backhand shot with 5:03 left in the period, and then was stopped in-close by Emery’s quick pad save about two minutes later.

Chicago’s Jimmy Hayes missed a point-blank chance in the final minute of the second when Souray deflected his shot.

The Blackhawks broke through on Kane’s power-play goal at 2:26 of the third, scored moments after Emery had made a sprawling save on Daniel Winnik’s short-handed attempt.

After taking a quick pass from Duncan Keith, Kane skated in unchecked halfway from the right point and beat Hiller with high shot into the upper right corner of the net.

Hiller stopped Saad from the slot about seven minutes into the third. Emery made a quick glove save on Ryan, who was left alone 15 feet out in the slot, about three minutes later.

NOTES: Following a 4-0 loss to the Sharks on Wednesday, the Ducks remained in San Jose on Thursday and practiced before traveling to Chicago. The Ducks had planned to fly to Chicago early and practice here, but a flight delay forced them to reschedule. ... Anaheim RW Radek Dvorak, who played his first game with the Ducks in San Jose after getting his work visa, was a healthy scratch. ... Ducks C Nick Bonino missed his 10th game with a lower-body injury.